London, England — Jetting off on holiday and being green is not a combination we would usually see as a match made in heaven. Now more than ever, we are being told why we should look for more eco-friendly ways of living, including how we travel. Recent years have seen the rise of carbon offsetting, which has given us a get-out clause for our guilt when flying across the globe. But with inventive ways to go green constantly being introduced, the summer holidays are the perfect time to take advantage of the greenest ways to travel, says Green Energy United Kingdom.

Unsurprisingly, airlines and motor vehicles burn fossil fuels the fastest, but many manufacturers are tailoring their designs to use alternative energy sources in order to become more environmentally sound. Green Energy is not asking you to ditch your exotic holiday and pitch a tent in the garden this summer, instead look for smart ways to off-set the less green modes of transport you are taking.

Douglas Stewart, CEO of Green Energy United Kingdom says: “The most earth-friendly ways to travel have always been by foot or by bike, but this is not always the most practical or even realistic way of getting around, especially when you want to flee the country for somewhere less rainy! Instead why not consider carbon offsetting against your holiday flight? There are plenty of websites that specialize in green travel, so make sure you have a good shop around to see what is going to benefit the planet more. Also consider public transport, not only is it better for the environment, but it will also put extra pennies in your pocket for ice creams and sticks of rock at the beach.

“Don’t forget even the small changes will help make a big difference, therefore put on your wellies and hit the garden with the kids and plant some trees. Or alternatively, switch your electricity provider to a  green tariff, which will help balance the not so green ways you are travelling this summer.”

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Fairfax, U.S.A. — From vegetable gardens and green houses to a water purification plant, the Barcelo Maya Beach Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico, is committed to the ecological preservation of its vibrant landscape. With that pledge, the AAA Four Diamond, all-inclusive resort is also dedicated to inspiring guests to embrace environmental sustainability practices by sharing its methods and operating standards.

White sand beaches, deep green foliage, bright flowers and crystal clear waters are hallmarks of the Riviera Maya that Barcelo Maya Beach Resort is dedicated to sustaining and but growing for current and future guests to experience.

“We are deeply committed to our reputation as an eco-friendly vacation destination and our responsibility to preserving the stunning scenery of Riviera Maya,” said Claudio Zboznovits, vice president of Barcelo Hotels & Resorts sales and marketing in the U.S.

During sea turtle season, May – October, the resort protects nesting sites with a wire fence and post signage to inform guests about the sea turtles.  Once the eggs hatch, guests are encouraged to participate in the release of newborn turtles on the beach. Guided by Maya’s onsite environmental team, participants can assist the native loggerhead and green sea turtles make the journey from sand to sea.

The resort’s green practices expand far beyond what guests see during their stay.  Treating water in filtration plants to be reused for irrigation, sorting trash, using energy-saving light bulbs and installing automatic light control in public areas are just a few elements of the resort’s overall sustainability efforts. The complex even has a 3,200-square-foot vegetable garden, “La Huerta del Chef,” where vegetables, herbs and 10 different types of chili peppers are grown. Additionally, a reverse-osmosis plant purifies drinking water, and an on-site nursery produces 60 percent of the plants used in local reforestation. Vacationers can also visit an on-site ecological information hut to learn about the care of mangrove swamps, reefs and, of course, sea turtles.

Ideally located on Mexico’s eastern coast between the sizzle of Cancun and the intriguing Tulum ruins, Barcelo Maya Beach Resort welcomes visitors with 24 diverse dining options, 21 lively bars and lounges, 10 gigantic swimming pools, three entertainment theaters, two kid-friendly water parks, a 20,000-square-foot spa, and world class convention center.

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New York, U.S.A. — Toyota and the National Audubon Society awarded over $1 million in TogetherGreen Innovation Grants funding to 41 innovative environmental projects nationwide.

This year’s winning projects involve more than 150 conservation, environmental justice and community organizations working collaboratively on habitat, water and energy conservation. Many of the projects focus on engaging audiences that have traditionally been underrepresented in the conservation movement, from landowners to religious communities to inner-city students.

“Groups that won Innovation Grants this year have ingenuity and creativity on full display. And that’s what it takes to tackle the environmental challenges we face today,” said Audubon President and CEO David Yarnold. “I’m proud to partner with these innovators in creative approaches to achieve healthier communities and big conservation results.”

Sample projects that will receive 2012 funding include:

Habitat: In Connecticut, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Student Conservation Association will create Audubon WildLife Guards, a Coastal Stewardship and Youth Conservation Training Program in Bridgeport, Conn. The program will provide green job training, mentoring and employment opportunities for high school students who will work to protect threatened beach nesting birds on Pleasure Beach, the largest intact barrier beach in the state.

Water: In Kansas, Friends of the Kaw, Inc., along with the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Topeka Audubon Society and Jayhawk Audubon Society will launch the “Save Soldier Creek” campaign to minimize stormwater runoff  in the rural Soldier Creek watershed – reducing pollution and improving water quality and bird habitat).

Energy: In Arizona, Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center and Arizona Interfaith Power & Light will broaden its Footprints of Faith campaign to African American and Latino churches in Phoenix and Tucson promoting steps congregations can take to reduce their carbon footprints.

Engaging diverse audiences in conservation: In North Carolina, Wild South and its partners North Carolina Audubon Society, High Country Audubon Society, National Forests of NC and the Western North Carolina Alliance will reach out to military servicemen and women and nearby Asheville residents to involve them in controlling non-native invasive plants, monitoring bird populations, and educating the public on environmental issues. The goal of the project is to preserve the wilderness character and rare species habitat of the Linville Gorge Wilderness, one of the most rugged and scenic areas in the East.

“Toyota and Audubon really share in the belief that environmental change starts at the grassroots level,” said Patricia Salas Pineda, group vice president of national philanthropy and the Toyota USA Foundation. “We’re so proud to support this year’s Innovation Grants, which embody TogetherGreen’s commitment to conservation, innovation and diversity.”

Image Courtesy of   just.Luc

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Basking Ridge, U.S.A. – Verizon Wireless have announced that its green retail store design has achieved pre-certification in the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED Volume Program. Verizon Wireless is one of only eight retailers in the United States and the only wireless company to achieve pre-certification from the USGBC.

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings that deliver environmental, economic and community benefits. Under the LEED Volume Program, any Verizon Wireless Communication Store constructed using the pre-certified design will earn a LEED Silver or higher rating. The company has begun certifying stores under the program, building upon its portfolio of 95 stores rated under the LEED for Commercial Interiors rating system.

“Whether building new stores or transforming current retail or network locations, our goal is to lower greenhouse gas emissions and help preserve precious natural resources. By pursuing LEED certification we can improve our customer experience and environmental performance, while also achieving operational and utility savings,” said Chris Baron, vice-president, national operations, Verizon Wireless.  “USGBC’s LEED certification will also serve as key benchmarks for our Green Stores Program as we continue to look for new ways to implement environmentally friendly practices and energy savings throughout the company.”

Each LEED-certified Verizon Wireless Communications Store is expected to deliver, on average, the following environmental benefits and associated cost savings:

• 12,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year energy savings from lighting, equivalent to the CO2 emissions from the consumption of 972 gallons
• 28,000 gallons of water per year, equivalent to 455,000 glasses of water
• 28 tons of construction waste diverted from landfills, equivalent to 14 cars

“Verizon Wireless’ commitment to reducing the footprint of its retail stores shows tremendous company-wide leadership,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, chief executive officer and founding chair, USGBC. “The LEED Volume Program enables us to move further faster towards our shared goal of market transformation.”

The LEED Volume Program is part of Verizon’s commitment to reducing major energy drivers such as network equipment, energy efficiency requirements and aggressive energy reduction initiatives in company-operated buildings. Taken together, these efforts will help Verizon meet its aggressive goals of reducing its carbon intensity – the amount of energy used per data flowing through the company’s networks – by 50 percent within the next eight years.

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For all the people out there who love outdoor experiences, and know that there is not any other feeling on this planer as the one of being exposed to nature. What a great feeling is to breath the pure air, and the sound of birds that are resting on the trees. How beautiful it is to smell all the different kinds of flowers and to grab sometimes the magnificent pieces of fruits they provide to us. This is the greatness about nature, that it just relies there for us to enjoy freely, but for this reason for us to keep enjoying depends on the way we take care of it.

Therefore, here are great tips and advices to enjoy the outdoors environment:

1. Go out: First of all, what a person needs to do is get out from the city, leave behind the cold building and run to a place where you can smell the green grass and feel the pure air. Sometimes it is good to have a moment with nature, and just relax and do not feel any kind of stress.

2. Explore your local surroundings: Sometimes we do not appreciate the local surroundings we have in our own city. This is a good advice, because you would not need to a lot of money in order to travel somewhere close. People tend to think that their city is boring and that’s why they recur to leave and travel to other cities. But you will be surprised in finding and discovering special places in your owned city, places that are not really known or visited, and that you will have a great time.

3. Company: The great thing about organizing these simple getaways to a calm place is that you can take your close friends, family or couple. We know that in life the most spontaneous adventures that you don’t need to plan with great time ahead sometimes end up being gone of the most fun and great adventures. Therefore why not organizing a great trip, where you can enjoy with your loving ones?

4. Camping: Camping is one of the best experiences to feel nature at its top. From time to time we do need to leave luxuries behind and just adapt to simple situations, and something more simple and great than camping is hard to find. So why not organize a getaway to a close place with your friends and camp. It is great how eco-friendly this experience can be, but remember always to clean well the area where you did your camping in order to take care of the place.

5. Sun: The great thing is to wake up with the sunrise and the view of a sunrise sky is amazing. Therefore why not enjoy sleeping earlier than other days just to see this view. A good thing about camping and being outside is that you don’t count with light and you use and feel the light from the sun and the moon which is something most of the people most of the times forget.

6. Light food: To your trip you can also accompanied with a healthy menu, which will allow you to eat healthy. This would not only make you feel lighter and healthy, but its good from time to time to just detoxify the body eating lighter things and drinking tea or water.

With all these tips I just want to encourage all the people that need a simple backpacking experience to pack their things and run off to the closest place that can bring them peace and help clear the mind.

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